Horner hails 'strongest technical line-up ever' at Red Bull

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that the current technical line-up at Milton Keynes is the strongest that the squad has ever had in its history of racing in Formula 1.

It's put Red Bull on the cusp of its first constructors title since 2013 and the dominance of the Sebastian Vettel era, while Max verstappen has already clinched the drivers title by a huge margin.

A lot of credit has gone to the iconic chief technical officer Adrian Newey, who returned to the forefront of the operations after stepping back to an extent in recent years, in order to work on other projects under the Red Bull umbrella.

• Read also: Horner says Verstappen 'on another planet this year'

But Horner was keen to share the credit for this year's success with others working alongside him at the factory. "Adrian and the whole technical team," he insisted.

"Pierre Wache, our technical director, Enrico Balbo, Craig Skinner, Ben Waterhouse," he continued, referring to their head of aerodynamics, chief designer and head of performance engineering respectively.

"I think this is the strongest technical team we've ever had," he added. "And I think that's testimony to the hard work that goes in behind the scenes that has delivered this kind of performance.

"Everybody within the factory, within Red Bull, all of our partners, all of our technical partners have just stepped it up another gear this year. It's been phenomenal.

"It needs everything to come together to achieve the kind of results that we have. And we've done that, we've achieved it."

He pointed out that this year's dominance was particularly impressive given that preparations for the new-specification cars had to be pushed back while the team focused on clinching the 2021 drivers title in the season finale.

"For the team to do what we did last year and to turn up with a car as competitive as we have, being the last team to transition onto it, under massive pressure this year with the cost cap and everything else, it's been a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.

"The way we adapted to the new regulations, the engineering team, it's been a phenomenal performance by everybody involved," he said. "And Max has I think grown from that first world championship.

"The way he's driven, the way he's operated this year, has just been at another level. All respect to him, because he truly deserves this championship.

While last year's title went down to the wire, this year Verstappen clinched it with four races remaining. To do it in Japan at the track majority-owned by Honda was also very fitting.

Honda F1 project leader Yasuaki Asaki was selected by Horner to collect the constructors' trophy after Red Bull's latest win of the season at Suzuka.

"I felt it only right for him to collect the constructors' trophy," Horner explained. "Asaki-san has been one of those heroes behind the scenes within the Honda organisation and within HRC.

"We're truly grateful for the support that they've provided us in previous years and obviously, as a supplier this year, they've done a great job as well. All our partners like Exxon Mobil, with this new E10 fuel as well this year."

And Horner added another big name to the list of those who had been a big part of this year's success.

"I have to say a big shout out to Dietrich Mateschitz, as well," he said. "Everything that he's provided all of us, the unrelenting support from Red Bull, is the reason why we're all here.

"So a huge shout out to Dietrich, and everybody within Red Bull for what's been achieved."

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